Countdown to Turkey Day: Dish Clean-Up

Hello there. I hope you are doing well.

Another day, another item we are mentally checking off our to-do list to make Thanksgiving easier this year.

If you are catching up, here is what we have covered so far:

The cleanup is one of the worst parts of hosting a large holiday meal. What if it could be easier? Would that be worth a small investment? For me, it is.

Some of these tips will only apply if you are doing a large gathering. However, you may find some information that may improve your everyday clean-up experience.

Dish tubs or bussing bins are incredibly useful tools.

Having a couple of these bins can make your life much easier, especially when you have many dishes to do. You can generally find small versions at the No longer a Dollar Tree or similar stores, but if you want a couple of heavy-duty ones like bussers use in restaurants, take a trip to your local restaurant supply store, or they are available on Amazon (if you are reading this via email, you’ll have to click the link on the site itself).

How can dish tubs help with holiday cleanup? Most of us only have one sink and dishwasher in our kitchen. On busy days, this can be a bottleneck, and there are few things more obnoxious than having to unload the sink to get started with the dishes.

Having a sanitary way to contain the mess out of the way can be incredibly helpful. Just don’t set the bin on the stove while it’s still hot just because you needed a horizontal surface.

Did you know that you can also order an extra silverware rack for your dishwasher? Yep, I learned this tidbit from KC Davis on TikTok. Rinse the food off, load the basket, then swap it out when you are loading. 🤯 No pile of silverware in the bottom of the sink waiting its turn.

Having a place to store the dishes will also allow you to wash the items that don’t fit in the dishwasher without having to do everything else first. You could even allow the items in the bins to wait until the dishwasher is done with the first load and just let the dishwasher do the work. For what it is worth, dishwashers are the ecological choice, using significantly less water than handwashing. If you needed one more reason to justify leaving the dishes out for a couple of hours)

While we are talking about clean-up, how are you on trashbags? If you are going to be using disposable items, do you have any large bags?

Improve the dishwashing experience

Over the last few years, I’ve learned a lot about myself—thanks therapy—and I learned that many of the things I was forcing myself to do and put with were completely unnecessary.

What on earth does this have to do with cleaning up tons of dishes, Heather?

There are a few sensory things that go into doing the dishes, that I just do not like. It wasn’t until after my therapist got it through my head that my comfort is something that can be my priority that I started realizing I didn’t have to just muscle through the things I don’t like without tools to make them easier.

Growing up, we never had rubber gloves in the house, but that doesn’t make them wasteful. Go ahead and get yourself dishwashing gloves, and then use the hottest water possible. First, the dishes will get cleaner more quickly, and second, you’re not going to dry out your hands. If you know you will have a guest who will be happy to pitch in, let them and have a spare pair on hand. By the way, that guest may be trying to deal with their anxiety by being helpful… you really are being a good host Give them one chance to back out, and you’ve done your part.

You can get your favorite scent of dishwashing soap if you would like. (I prefer unscented.)

You can have whatever sponges or scrubbers you prefer and replace them when they need replacing. You do not have to use the scrubbers until they are two strands of metal tied in a knot. You don’t have to use a green scour pad until it is soft as felt and your biceps are screaming—and you want to.

Check now to ensure you have Bar Keepers Friend for the pots and pans that need it. Yes, I’m still a fan after all of these years.

An anti-fatigue mat can also help make standing in front of the sink less painful if your back or legs ache when doing jobs like this.

What tools and tricks have you found that make facing a pile of dishes easier?